Month: August 2014

This card was inspired by, but not cased from Amanda Fowler. I made a card at her card club with a bunch of flowers on the front, but on that card the stems were drawn in with Stampin Up maker pens. I tried really hard to replicate the stems, but they never turned out as neat as Amandas, so I gave up. I decided that it was a lot easier to cut very thin strips of card stock to use as stems. I cut the strips in Old Olive. I then held the strips of card in my hand, as though they were real stem’sand bound them together with linen thread.

For the flowers I have used only one colour…Blackberry Bliss. I used Petite Petals stampset with the coordinating punch to make the flowers. To make the blossoms “pop” I have sponged the edges in Blackberry Bliss and then used dimensionals to add them to the stems. They remind me of Gladoli

Accuracy is something I really struggle with, whether it;s cutting in a straight line or matting card. I really think one of my eyes is not straight!

But when I went away on a girly crafty weekend in June, I wanted to challenge myself to be VERY accurate.With this handicap in mind, I decided to make a never ending card. This card will not work unless ALL parts are cut with 100% accuracy.

I set to and used Modern Medley DSP paper from Stampin Up, that is retired now to make it. And I managed …first attempt. I was so happy I played with it for ages. Having got home from my break, it then sat on my desk for weeks. But I finally decided to finish it off with a belly band and am pleased with the finished result.

Its lovely to look on You Tube and Pinterest and just immerse yourself in all the lovely projects. You Tube is particularly good, as you can follow the project step by step, pausing when necessary.After a hard day at work there is nothing better than coming in from work and making a card straight from You Tube, no real thought needed!!! This is exactly what I did with a card from Dawn 5377. Her cards and instructions are brilliant.

Then I started to think about ways of making it my own and a sympathy card sprang into my head. These cards are the sorts of cards that we do not relish making and even less having to send but unfortunately they are inevitable.

I changed the colour used for sponging the window frame to Smokey Slate. This is such a lovely subtle colour and serves this purpose well. After I had cut out the middle I actually turned the card over and only sponged with the remaing ink on the sponge to get a lighter, almost “stamped off” effect. I then wanted something to stamp over the centre and my mind turned to butterflies and I used the Pappilion Potporri stampset. Gems didn’t seem right on a sympathy card, so I coloured some small pearls black. using a permanent maker. The sentiment comes from a retired set called Loving Thoughts. I just love the font and using Stazon ink, I think the whole thing goes together well.. Dawn suggested only using a dimensional at either corner, but for me I didn’t feel that was enough of a lift, so I added one to each of the four points of the window cutout.

I hope you like this card, and can see that I really made it my own!!! Until next time…happy crafting x

How many of us have little bits on our desks that might be “useful” later? I have tried to be better about throwing away odd bits of card, miscellaneous punched out shapes, and tiny bits of DSP. But sometimes something shouts at me to use it. I have tried to accompany some of my cards with a matching gift tag, so that the recipient has not only a handcrafted card, a matching envelope but also a tag. Usually the card comes first and the tag second. But this time it was in reverse!!!

I have previously written about the entry I made for the Pals Paper Arts Challenge and when it was finished I had somehow made two of the cream panels. It looked so pretty, I didnt have the heart to throw it in the bin, so I thought I would make it into a tag. But disaster I hadnt enough room at the top of the piece of card for it to pass freely into the Scallop Tag Topper punch and I cut part of the head off the flower. Poor thing was wilted!!. But I liked it so much I started again but this time I made the card as well!!

I keep a book of cards that I make. Many of the demos I know like to take photos to record their work but I prefer to keep a physical card, if I particularly like the design. When I stick it in my book, I make a note of materials used and measurements too, so that if I want to replicate it much later or am lost for inspiration, I always have something I can look up.

I did this with the card below. My original title in my book was “Help For Heroes” card. Someone had asked for cards to sell for Help the Heroes, and this card reminded me of the charities colours. Although all the product used in this card is no longer current, I still like my original and whilst I have stocks left, I may as well use them!!

This card, along with others is being donated to the Macmillan coffee morning. I hope you like it. Happy crafting, until next time x